Lawn mower



Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.-

LAWRENCE M. ABLE, OF ST. MATTHEWS, SOUTH CAROLINA.

LAWN MOWER.

Application filed November My invention relates to improvements in lawn mowers and in particular to lawn mowers of the rotating reel-cutter type.

With a lawn mower of the above type it is Very difficult, if not impossible at times, to make a good cut in grass which has been allowed to grow rank. I have found that a successful way to cut rank grass is to make several cuts, starting with a high cut and 0 going over this with lower cuts until the grass is finally cut to the proper height.

In mowing machines of the above type it is usual to maintain the cutting reel a definite height above the ground by means of i a roller which remains in contact with the it ground during operation and supports the rear end of the mower frame in which the reel is mounted. By this means the height of the cutting reel above the ground may be adjusted to a limited extent by raising or lowering the frame on the roller support. This, however, affords only a limited range of adjustment, not sufficientto make a first cut in very tall grass. Moreover, when the cutter is raised appreciably, itcauses the handle to be raised to a greater angle, thereby making it more difficult to operate, for with such a position of the handle the operator cannot obtain the full benefit of his weight in propelling the mower.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide for readily adjusting the height of the cutter above the ground without having to shift the hands away from the most effective operating position.

An ancillary object of my invention is to provide means for accomplishing the main purpose of the invention, in the form of an attachment which may be readily applied,

4 without special skill, to lawn mowers of the types now in common use.

It is to be understood, of course, that my invention may also be embodied in the structure of a lawn mower as originally manufactured.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by providing a special hinge structure intermediate the ends of the handle, thereby permitting the handle to be broken at the in middle and the two portions to be adjusted to various angles to vary the height of the cutter above the ground.

One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

5 which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a lawn mower is, 1925. Serial No. 69,517.

showing the special hinge structure applied to the handle, but with the handle in its normal position.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing the structure as seen from the operators position, or from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation similar to Fig. 1 but with the handle adjusted to a position for a high cut in which the cutter is raised a considerable distance above the ground as compared with Fig. 1.

In all the figures of the drawing the rotating cutter has been omitted for the sake of clearness of illustration, and as not being essential to a clear understanding of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the general construction of the mower is: that of a well known type, and consists of a pair of traction wheels 1 arranged to drive a rotating reel-cutter (not shown) mounted between the rigid side-frames 2, the cutting blades of the reel cooperating with the fixed cutter blade 3 which is supported at its ends by side frames 2. The cutter and fixed blade 3 are maintained a definite height above the ground by means of a roller 4 which is adjustably secured to the frame 2 by means of two slotted link members 5, which are clamped to side members 2 by means of bolts 6, passing through the slots in the link members and the side frames.

The handle, the lower portion of which is indicated at 7 is secured to the frame of the mower by a bail, consisting of members 8 attached to each side of the lower portion of the handle, and usually secured to the frame by pivotal connections permitting a limited pivotal movement of the bail with respect to the frame. So far, the structure described is old and well known.

In applying my invention to this structure, I make the handle in two parts 7 and 7 and connect them together by a hinge 9, 5

so as to allow the upper portion 7 to swing down and assume various angles with re spect to the lower portion 7. As a means for clamping the upper portion 7' in any desired position, I provide a hinge housing member 10, which consists of a sleeve portion 1O secured to the lower handle portion 7 by bolts or screws, or otherwise, and two sector sha ed side members 10", made integral with t e sleeve portion 10*. These sector members are held in spaced relation toeach other by an integral wall at the upsitionfbecause-t1i 110 brace :rocls 15 an per edge, constitutin g a continuation of the wall of the sleeve portion 1O ly-ing along the upper side of the handle. At the lowermost corner of the'housing, the side membore 10* are held in parallel spaced relation by means of a spacing tube 11, and a bolt 12 passes through this tube and the two side members to clamp them securely together. The upper portion 7" ct thehandle may be noved freely between the sicie'members 10 between two limits, the mopcrmostpositi on being that shown in Fig. 1, in which the handle is stopped by the baclrwall connecting the two side members 10". The lowermost position will be that in which the handle comes in :contact with spacing tube 11. The movable portion ofthe handle may be clamped between these two limits by means of a bolt 13, passing through .the handle gandside members 10", and provided with a clamping nut .14, whichmay be a wing; nut, as shown. A series ofholes 10 are formed in side members to receive bolt 13 in clamping the handle in any one ct several positions.

7 It is desirable that the frame of the mower and the handle, along with the hinge structure, be made'a's rigid as possible, and for this purpose lprovide two brace rods 15 er:- tending between the lower corners of the hinge housing and the side iramesQ. These rods are secured at their upper ends to housing 10 by means of bolt 11, which also serves as'a'olamping element for the housing, as de scribed above. A their'lower ends, rods 15 are clamped to side frames '2 by means of bolts 6,, which also serve to secure link ele ments 5 to the side frames. 7 V

Vi hen it is desired to use the mower under normal conditions, the handle is clamped as in l, and the height of the cut will be that indicated at A In this case. the thrust from the upper portion or" the handle will be transmitted principally through thehinge 9 and the hinge housing 1-? to the lower per-- tionZ thence to the frame or the mower. It is to be noted that,since the housing member vl0 is i 'the form of anii sled channel member with its bed-or web w .ng along 'the upper side of the handle, bolt 1-8 will :not be essential holdi the-handle .inthis .po-

, annel'bed;will restrain the-'handl'ein itstendencyto :mo-ve. upwardly.

When itris desired-to malrea'first out in rank-grass, the-handle-is adjusted to a position showngin El" '3, and the heightof the cut indicated-at l ill :be much :gre aterthan the height L-Orf apnormal cut-indicated at A-in .1. In this :case, the thrust from-the upper ,portijrm of the handle will be transmitted principally through clamping plates Zthence Zto the cutter itrame. Thuspitswill seen :t --th s;po-' sitiomithe oiimnefctienahetweeni he-sleeve-;portion 10 of the housing andthe lower portion tor .-lawn mower-s eo nnrisinga cutter n 7? of the handleiis relieved of .most of the stra n, and there 1s very lit tle tendency to split out this connection. I find it desirable,

especially in positions in which roller l is modifications may be made'in details with out departing from the spirit of the invention. a

I c aim V I V 1. In a mowing machine, the combination ofia cutter frame, a handlemounted thereon and provided with a hinged jointinterniediate its ends, means embracing said hinged joint for securing the two handle portions in definite ned angularrelations, and bracing means connecting said securing means and said cutter frame.

.2. In a mowing machine, the combination of a'cutter frame, a handle mounted thereon and provided with a hinged joint intermediate its ends, means for securing the two handle portions in definite fixed angular relationscom-prising a pair of plate elements so cured to the lowerportioniof tne handle, one.

dle, means near the ,edge of the plates removed fromthe handle for holding the said plate-members in fixed parallel relation, and brace rods extending between the outer edges ofithe ,pl'ate members. and the cutter frame.

3. A handle attachment for lawn mowers comprising a handle provided with a hinged joint intermediate aits ends, channel member secured to one handle portion and embracing'said hinged oint to permit the other handle portion toiswing between the sides of the channel member in a plane parallel to said sides, means for securing the movable handle portion in difierent angular positions within the'channel member, and stop means comprising the bed of said channel member limiting the angular movement or the mo ablehandle portion.

A nisian attachment for lawn mowers. a ho. H ingcomprising a body portion adapted to be applied about the lower part of the lawn mower handle, and ,pair of sector shaped parallel wings connected to each other {throughout their entire length along one sideparallel to the line lot the .l owergp art ,of thejhandle,-saidwingsbeing-perforated at internals .within their peripheries for thereception of fastening means whichTmay be passed through the upper portion ot *the handle." r l 51A mowing machine handle attachment a handle attachedthereto" and'providedwlitl 10 one end of the channel member to the lower portion of the handle, means at the other end of the channel member for clamping the upper portion of the handle in various p0sitions between the walls of the channel, and

brace rods extending from the edge of the 15 walls of the channel member side to the cutter frame.

In testlmony whereof I affix my signature.

LAWVRENOE M. ABLE.

on the open ma, m- J Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,608,574, granted November 30, 1926, upon the application of Lawrence M. Able, of St. Matthews, South Carolina, for an improvement in Lawn Mowers, errors appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 57, for the letter V read B, and line 128, claim 5, strikeout the words mowing machine and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of January, A. D. 1927.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

